John 1:47 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"

NIV: When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."

NASB: Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, 'Here is truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!'

CSB: Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."

NLT: As they approached, Jesus said, 'Now here is a genuine son of Israel — a man of complete integrity.'

KJV: Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

NKJV: Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

Jesus' comment to Nathanael is mysterious; He labels him an "Israelite indeed" or a "true Israelite," and notes his honesty. There are several ways to interpret this remark, and all may apply at once. One possibility is that Jesus is making a blunt assessment. Nathanael certainly seemed willing to speak his mind (John 1:46).

Another, more probable, interpretation is that Christ was making a friendly joke. It's likely Jesus was teasing Nathanael: responding to sarcasm with sarcasm. Joking about a "true Israelite" having no deceit in him is a play on words. The Jewish people are descendants of the patriarch Jacob whom God renamed "Israel" (Genesis 32:28). Jacob's twelve sons were the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The name Jacob literally means "supplanter" or "heel-catcher," given to him because he was born holding on to his twin brother's heel (Genesis 25:26), but he continued to live up to this name. Prior to his renaming, Jacob established a reputation as a habitual liar and deceiver. He manipulated his brother to steal a birthright (Genesis 25:29–34). He tricked his father to steal his brother's firstborn blessing (Genesis 27). And he was tricked by his father-in-law (Genesis 29; 31). Nathanael dismissed Jesus for no other reason than because He was from Nazareth. Jesus' joking response points out the mistake of judgment based on heritage.

John 1:43–51 shows Jesus recruiting Philip and Nathanael. Philip seems eager to follow Jesus. Nathanael is skeptical, especially because Jesus is from a low-reputation remote town like Nazareth. When Jesus demonstrates His supernatural wisdom, Nathanael proclaims Him as the "Son of God" and "the King of Israel." Jesus responds by predicting even more spectacular signs. He also refers to Himself using the term "Son of Man," an important figure in Jewish prophecy.

The first chapter of John introduces Jesus as "the Word," from the Greek logos. This chapter clearly describes Jesus as God. After this prologue, the chapter describes Jesus recruiting the first of His disciples, as well as a conversation between John the Baptist and the Pharisees. There are seven names or titles for Christ in this chapter, including "the Son of God," "the Word," and "the King of Israel."

The first chapter of the gospel of John equates Christ with God and introduces John the Baptist. The Baptist specifically points to Jesus as the Promised One. Jesus collects the first five of His disciples. In this chapter, Jesus is given seven descriptive names, including "the Word," "the Son of God," and "the King of Israel." This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the gospel, by giving the reader a sense of who Jesus truly is, and why He has come. The rest of the gospel is an exploration of the claims made in this initial passage.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.